TRENTON — Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Criminal Justice today announced that a former Trenton Water Works (TWW) sample collector was sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly failing to collect water samples and falsifying water quality reports.
Cesar Lugo, 38, of Trenton, previously pleaded guilty to third-degree tampering with public records and violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). As part of the plea agreement, the State agreed to recommend a three-year prison sentence for both crimes of conviction to run concurrently, with a two-year parole ineligibility term.
“Safe drinking water is a fundamental need, and it is critical that the people charged with keeping our water supplies safe and clean do their jobs with diligence and professionalism,” said Attorney General Davenport. “This defendant chose to break the law, without regard for New Jersey’s residents. Today’s sentence demonstrates that there are serious consequences for such a choice.”
“Falsifying water sampling reports goes beyond putting people’s health at risk, it damages public trust in an essential public service,” said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Ed Potosnak. “Clean drinking water is a human right and the bedrock underpinning strong communities. Today’s sentencing reaffirms public trust in government systems by delivering accountability.”
“This defendant’s actions were a serious breach of the responsibility entrusted to him as a public employee,” said DCJ Interim Director Martha Nye. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable for those actions and underscores that those who abuse positions of public trust will be held responsible.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, between October 1, 2023 and November 13, 2023, Lugo was employed as a water sample collector for TWW. During this time, he knowingly submitted fraudulent or falsified water testing results and fraudulent or falsified chain of custody forms to TWW, in violation of the SDWA, which mandates accurate water testing and reporting. On numerous occasions, Lugo failed to conduct the required water collections altogether, yet continued to submit timesheets falsely certifying that he had performed his work and was entitled to payment.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Dom Stockton-Rossini from DCJ’s Regulatory Unit.